A dispute over mowing grass had dozens of people threatened with fines and citations in Winter Park, but the problem was solved when WESH 2 News started asking questions.

Grass on the shoulder of the road along General Rees Boulevard was knee-high, and 40 homeowners recently got a notice from a Winter Park Code Enforcement officer saying the grass was their responsibility.

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The notice said they had five days to cut it or face citations and fines.

"I was a little upset. If the city had done their homework a little further, they would have noticed that our property ends at the fence, and this is not our property. And why are they asking us to mow somebody else's property?" said homeowner Pamela Ammon.

Ashley O'Callaghan lives next door.

"I thought it was pretty unfair. We should have definitely been told that this was something besides getting a violation notice and given us a nicer reminder or letter to everyone saying this is our responsibility," she said.

But it turns out, it's not their responsibility. The City of Orlando cuts the grass 15 times a year.

Recent heavy rain has made the grass grow more quickly, and according to a Winter Park city spokeswoman, a code enforcement officer mistakenly issued the notices ordering residents to mow the grass.